The Story

On Friday, January 20th, the world witnessed both the official inauguration of a new regressive era, and hope for its overthrow.

Hundreds of thousands of dissidents swarmed the streets of Washington DC, using a diversity of tactics to defy and confront the new regime: blockades, blocs, barricades, breakaways, and massive marches. These are all first steps towards a mighty movement against the expansion of patriarchal and white supremacist State subjugation promised in the coming years.

The next step now that the smoke is clear in the Capital is to support the over 220 protesters charged with Felony Riot, punishable by $25,000 and 10 years in prison.

Most of these were arrested indiscriminately in a “kettle,” a police tactic where a group of protesters are surrounded by police lines on all sides. They were held there, in vans and busses, and in jail cells for over 24 hours. Police denied them food and verbally abused them. At arraignment many were ordered to pay exorbitant and clearly punitive fees simply for a public defender. Once released they found the police had held their cellphones and backpacks as evidence and stolen many of their personal items.

MACC is organizing a vigorous support of twenty-three NYC J20 arrestees. We hope to provide meetings with lawyers, mental health counseling, acupuncture, massages, defendant's guides, new phones, and transportation. We desperately need funds for the effort. Please consider donating any amount to our comrades to show we will not be cowed by these ridiculous charges in the first days of our renewed struggle!